Village People: Catapult Coffee
At Catapult Coffee, each cup of coffee serves a greater purpose. Situated in Graffiti Alley, Catapult is more than just a place to grab your morning brew — it’s part of a larger mission driven by Outflow Ministry.
We sat down with Micah Hiltz, Catapult’s manager, who shared how the business got started, his transition from pastor to coffee shop manager, and what’s ahead for the future.
Q: What’s your favourite colour?
A: That’s a tough one! If we’re talking about what I like to wear, I love wearing brown. But if I had to pick a personal favourite, I’d say teal — or for work, I really like the Catapult green.
Q: Where did the idea for the business come from?
A: About 16 years ago, a couple of guys started handing out sandwiches to the homeless community in Saint John once a week, just looking to see how they could help. That small effort eventually grew into what is now Outflow Ministry, and the coffee shop is part of that mission. The idea behind the coffee shop is to raise money to support what Outflow does — like running a men’s shelter, feeding around 500 people each week, and helping people get off the streets, find jobs, secure affordable housing, and access counseling.
The coffee shop itself started about six years ago with two main goals: to provide training and an employment program for people facing barriers to finding a job — whether that’s a criminal record, being new to the country, or language barriers — and to create a steady stream of income for Outflow. We do get some government funding and donations, but we wanted to have a way to be more self-sufficient, just in case. So, we’re a non-profit coffee shop, and all the money we make goes right back into supporting Outflow Ministry.
Q: How did the name of the business come to be?
A: The name ‘Catapult’ was inspired by our training program. The idea is to take someone from where they are and catapult them back into the workforce, helping them become independent and self-sustaining again.
Outflow Ministry has had a few different ‘Catapults.’ There’s Catapult Coffee, but we also have Catapult Creative, which follows the same idea but focuses on making products like candles, soaps, and macramé. We’ve employed women who were new to the country, many of them refugees from places like Somalia, who are incredibly skilled at weaving and working with their hands.
We also had Catapult Carpentry, where we helped men who were recently released from jail and struggling to find work. We wanted to give them a chance to build a new path and avoid falling back into old habits.
So, there were a few different ‘catapults’ under the Catapult training and employment umbrella. Unfortunately, COVID affected a lot of things, and Catapult Carpentry was one of them. But, we still have Catapult Coffee and Catapult Creative going strong. We sell many of our creative products, like our pottery — which is really popular right now — directly in our coffee shops.
Q: Did you have a different job before you started working here? What did you do?
A: Before this, I spent 12 years in Fredericton as a pastor at a Baptist church, serving the community, particularly youth and young adults. When COVID hit, it changed a lot for me. Then, in late 2020, I saw that the coffee shop here was looking for a manager, and I thought, ‘If there’s two things I’m passionate about, it’s ministry and coffee,’ so I decided to go for it.
Q: Is your container village location your first brick-and-mortar retail shop?
A: Our first shop opened at 116 Princess Street. We’re still running that one, and now we’ve got our container village location too.
Q: Why did you want to set up shop at AREA 506?
A: Well, the coffee shop that was here the first season decided not to return, and they were looking for a replacement. We were approached because they wanted to keep a coffee shop in the village. It was definitely a bit of a leap of faith for us, but we decided to go for it. There’s lots of benefits, like having our main location just half a kilometer up the road, so it’s easy to manage supplies. Now we’re in our second season here, and it’s been great!
Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Oh man, that really depends on my age! When I was five, I wanted to be a pastor like my dad. That idea stuck around for a bit but took a backseat as I got older. I also wanted to be a professional athlete or a gym teacher — basically anything involving sports and working with kids. I eventually did become a pastor, but when COVID hit, I had to pivot careers. That’s when I really leaned into my love for coffee. I’ve always enjoyed making a great cup and seeing how coffee shops can bring people together. So, I didn’t always expect to manage a coffee shop, but with everything that happened, it’s where I found myself — and it feels right.
Q: Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when you started working here?
A: Not necessarily. I think having to make a quick decision to open a second location was actually a good thing, and we just went for it. And now into our second season, we’ve learned a lot from the first season, even with just how to utilize our storage. We’ve added a few things behind the counter to make it easier for our baristas to get customers through the line quicker. And we just kind of know what to expect as well, especially ramping up to the busy cruise ship season.
Q: What do you consider Catapult’s biggest success so far?
A: One employee really stands out, although we have several success stories that fit our mission of helping people overcome employment barriers. There’s a barista who’s been with us for almost six years. Her family came to Canada as refugees from Somalia, and her main challenge was the language barrier. Despite being one of our hardest workers, finding a job was tough for her. We brought her into our program, connected her with English tutoring, and she’s become the backbone of Catapult. Now, she’s enrolled in a nursing program at NBCC, and while we’re going to miss her when she leaves in the new year, this is exactly what we want — to help people move forward in their lives.
It’s really about the people. Sure, it’s nice when someone compliments our coffee, but seeing our employees succeed is what really encourages us. And it’s also great to hear when customers say they feel safe and relaxed in our coffee shop. Part of our goal is to create an escape from the craziness of the world — a place where they can enjoy a hot drink, have a chat with a friend or even a stranger, and just feel at peace. When we achieve that, it feels like a real success.
Q: What’s next?
A: We’re really looking forward to the cruise ship season. As we head into the holidays, we’re gearing up with new pottery and other creative products that are perfect for anyone looking for unique local gifts. Plus, every purchase supports a great cause, like Outflow’s work to help those in need in our community.
If you’re an entrepreneur with a business you think would be a good fit for the Waterfront Container Village, email hidden; JavaScript is required — we’d love to chat!